When it comes to modification and the popularity of your truck, the rules are simple. Decide what youre going to do and what truck its going to be on. Follow that up by doing something different and new, and doing it right. Rick Dore of Glendale, Arizona, decided on something not too many enthusiasts tacklelowering a fullsize dual cab truck. It had to be low, it had to be different, it had to be right, and it had to be done for the SEMA show. Rick set his eyes on a 2000 Ford F-350 Dual Cab and determined it would be the one.
As an auto stylist, Rick is familiar with various effects lowering a truck can have. He began with suspension mods to bring the truck to a 6 ½-inch ground clearance. The truck was first lowered 7 inches in front, then 8 inches out back. Airbags from Air Technologies replace the stock springs and make for one low crew hauler. The friendly folks at Bio Kustoms in Hemet, California, were nice enough to install this bolt-on kit. Yes, thats rightbolt-on kitno onsite fabrication required! The ride height is controlled via a neatly placed computer unit in the dash.
Ricks next challenge was to make the body stand out from the rest. The front stance was beefed up with a smoothed full-chrome bumper from Pristine. The stock grille was deleted for a sleek billet model, and headlight covers were also installed to unify the two-tone paint. Along the way everything was shaved for improved wind resistance. The antenna was given a new home, as were the tailgate latch and gas-fill neck. They were neatly tucked away and covered by a SnugTop tonneau lid inside the bedbox. The tail was completed with a handbuilt roll pan and custom billet accents fabricated by Rick himself.
KMC 16-inch wheels wrapped in Toyo 235/70 R16 rubber make for a total ground clearance of 6 ½ inches. Altitude is controlled by Air Rides panel neatly mounted in the dash. The marbleizing of interior hard panels matches that of the outside. Sounds are generated by a Panasonic head unit and channeled through ARC wires to 600 watts of subs, mids, and tweeters.
The stock Lariat leather interior was kept. The occasional chrome piece combined with custom-finished hard panels complements the inside. A custom roll pan adorns the tail. Notice the owner-fabricated billet wings extending from the license plate recess.
After the body was sanded and prepped, Rick had Doug Jerger of Squeegs Kustoms complete the unique paint scheme. The lower half is a special mix of House of Kolors Tequila Sunrise. The top half has a black and candy-violet marbleizing thats continued on the interior hard panels. For that extra touch, Rick had all plastic hard panels from the doors and dash marbleized to match. The stock leather interior was kept. With the addition of marbleizing and the occasional chrome widget, it looks simply marbelous.